


The Breach

by Kashimalin



Category: Notice Me Senpai! (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - SCP Foundation, Character Death, Crossover, Horror
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-19
Updated: 2018-07-19
Packaged: 2019-06-13 01:47:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15353526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kashimalin/pseuds/Kashimalin
Summary: Takeru follows his father into work in what should be a simple in-and-out visit. What Takeru didn't expect was to run into a few other people in a facility where the unknown is creeping around every corner.





	The Breach

**Author's Note:**

> Credits to @blackwidowprodigy and @chiefofpigs on Tumblr for introducing me to the SCP Foundation site and game, and for all the links they threw at me to help build this fic. And credits to the person who requesting this – I’ve fallen in love with the SCP stories and will have plenty to read for a long time now!

“Did you bring your favorite book, like I asked?”

Takeru gave an enthusiastic nod at his father’s question, holding up the fiction novel in his hands. His mother often said that he shouldn’t be reading things like that when he was about to graduate high school, but Takeru couldn’t help picking up the books. They took him to far off places and gave him a window to a world he desired to live in. He often spoke of those thoughts to his father – when he bothered to come home from work and visit them, anyway – who would listen with a careful ear and knowing smile.

So when his father instructed him to bring along his favorite story, giving careful instructions for the type he should pick, Takeru jumped at the chance and chose one carefully, following the orders to the letter.

“Good.” His father gave a smile and turned front again, showing clearance to the two guards at the door. They gave Takeru a strange and firm look, but let him through nonetheless. The two stepped into a tiled corridor with brilliant fluorescent lighting, making Takeru squint at the sight of it.  

“What we’re going to see is down the corridor a bit.” As his father walked him down the vast hall, Takeru glanced at the plates by each metal door. Each had a thick black text inscribed on it, declaring a SCP log number, with a single word underneath:

_“SAFE.”_

“What’s this place for?” He leaned to the side to see around his father, and was stunned when the hallway appeared to be never-ending. With a silent hope that they wouldn’t be walking all the way down, his attention was brought back as his father began to answer.

“This houses all the projects I put money into. Remember that I supply this facility and everything within as one of the benefactors, so I have to know about everything inside. I believe it’s – yes, here it is.” His father stopped outside a doorway and pointed at the plate by the door before looking down at the keypad, trying to remember the code. Takeru read the plate, trying to memorize the number.

_“SCP-826. Safe.”_

“Here we go.” The light above the keypad turned green, and his father opened the door, allowing Takeru to go first.

The room itself was underwhelming. It was a bare space, with unassuming walls and the same standard tile floor as the outside. Against the back wall was a safe, which Takeru’s father approached and attempted to enter yet another code. The first denied him entry, and he cursed it briefly.

“Do you need—“ Takeru attempted to offer help, but his father waved him off.

“They just changed it again, is all. They have to change it weekly. Security precaution.” His father gave a grim smile and Takeru nodded, waiting as his father remembered the code and opened the safe, pulling two objects out and placing them atop the safe. From what Takeru could tell, they were bookends. Bold and heavy-looking, with dragons on both sides. They looked fierce, and his father gestured for Takeru to come over.

“What’s this for?”

“You’ll see.” His father gave a giddy smile and inched the bookends apart. “Place your book right there.”

Takeru stared at his father, wondering what sort of trick he was trying to pull this time, but decided to go along as he tucked the book between the cool stones, stepping back.

“Is something supposed to happen?”

“We’ll have to leave the room to see.” His father’s smile kept growing with an almost boyish excitement, and Takeru got the feeling that his father was more excited than he was. “Before we leave, however – you know the plot of this book, back to front, correct?”

“Yes.”

“And where all the libraries and taverns and bookstores are within, yes?”

“I made a list and it’s in my pocket.”

“Excellent.” His father clapped his hands together and walked over the door, once again letting Takeru out first before closing the door behind himself. The keypad beeped and turned red again, and his father sighed.

“I do wish it didn’t do that. One moment, I’ll have us back in.”

But as his fingers began to press the first few numbers, the lights above them flickered and went out for just a moment, before resuming their usual brightness. Takeru was prepared to call it a power surge, but his father’s slow look up told him it was anything but.  

“What’s the matter—” A harsh whisper cut his voice off, a single finger extended to silence him.

“Takeru. Go back towards the exit.”

“Are you—”

“Don’t ask questions! Just go. I’ll meet you there.” His father pulled out a slim device and began to talk into it, asking for numbers and statistics. Takeru was left alone, and decided to obey his father, turning around and walking back the way they came. When he exited the corridor, he noticed that the guards were not there as they had been before, but kept walking nonetheless.

It was then that the lights went out. Without a window in the place, all was plunged to darkness. Takeru couldn’t help a scream as he fell back against a wall, happy for something tangible in the unexpected black. A siren sounded over the intercoms, and Takeru caught glimpse of something red lighting up at the end of the hall.

_“Containment Breach Alert. Containment Breach Alert. All personnel on Floor—“_

Takeru felt his face pale as the message was cut off in a fit of static. Inching along the wall, he began to move in the direction he thought was correct, coming onto a corner turn and moving down that instead. The red he had seen were floor lights, which lined this hallway, and he hoped that meant an exit. He pushed away from the wall and marched steadily down the corridor, racking his brain to remember what it looked like when they had entered – not that it mattered much now in the complete darkness. Takeru had been depending on being with his father the entire time, which meant he hadn’t paid attention to his surroundings earlier.  _I didn’t think I would find myself in a situation like this._

Something caught his eye then, and when he glanced up, he saw a bright, single light swinging wildly about. Thinking it a flashlight, Takeru cried out, running towards the source. However, it began to rush towards him as well, and he felt all the air knocked out of him as his back hit the cool metal floor with a thud.

“Ouch! What the heck!” He pushed the offender off him, but only received a hand being slapped over his mouth. With a muffled complaint, he caught a glimpse of their face in the swinging light – red-orange hair and bright green eyes. Their eyes followed the phone, the only source of light in the black of the hall.

“Who are you?” His question was firm, and Takeru felt obligated to respond right away. “Takeru Himitsu, my father was a benefactor here.”

“Do you know anything about this place, Takeru?”

“Nothing, uhm…” Without a name to address this new companion by, Takeru found himself at a loss for words.

“Oh, sorry. I guess I’m still unknown, huh. Shun Miyabe, author and fiction specialist. You might know me for my fantasy games. Anyway, if you don’t know, this place is one of the SCP facilities. Haven’t you at least heard of them, if you’re… here?”

Takeru could only shake his head again. While he had caught sight of his father’s papers once and a while, he never knew what those letters stood for, nor what sort of company his father worked with. And at this moment, he didn’t have a good impression of it.

“What does this place do? Protect valuables?”

Shun laughed. “You really don’t know? Why are you here?” He rolled his eyes. “Anyway, this place is for protection, yeah. That’s what it stands for. But there’s also—“

He was cut off by the sound of scuttling. Instantly, he turned the flashlight down the hallway and found nothing, the red lights on the floor giving no further indication that something was there that could be seen.

But their ears told them it  _was_  there. A chorus of clicking came closer and closer, and Takeru and Shun both did the only thing they could think of in the heat of the moment.

They ran in the opposite direction. The light swung wildly as Shun pulled ahead, and Takeru followed it as best he could, trying to ignore the thing behind them. He heard Shun hit a wall ahead and yell to turn right, clipping the corner as this hallway lacked any sort of lighting. His only source was Shun’s phone, and he could barely track it. Exhaustion was coming quick, but he slammed into a stopped Shun, who was listening intently for the scuttling that had been following them.

At the sound of silence, Shun breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank God.”

“And who are you?” There was a click, and the two spun their flashlight around, coming face-to-face with a man. He had a gun trained on them, wearing a pair of goggles with green lenses. Recognizing he was prepared to shoot, Shun fell to his knees.

“No! We’re humans! We swear! I just found him! We’re running from… From something, I can’t tell you what the  _hell_  it was, but please!”

“Give me names!”

“S-Shun Miyabe! Please!”

“And yours?” The gun changed its target and aimed on Takeru next, and he choked out, “Takeru Himitsu, Takeru Himitsu…”

The guard held his stance a moment longer, before lowering the weapon with a sigh. “All right. At least you remember your names.”

“Who are you?”

“I’m Makoto, a guard here. I was sent to this floor to check for any survivors.”

“S-Survivors?” Shun’s voice cracked as he uttered the foreboding word, knowing full well what it meant. Takeru knew it too, the thought lingering in his mind:

_There are some who didn’t survive._

“We’ve had some sort of accident, and all lights on the top floors are off. If we go a little deeper, we’ll be able to see what we’re doing. And turn that flashlight off. They’ll follow that!” His snapping tone made Shun rush to dim the phone in seconds. “Take an elbow each, but be prepared to let go if something comes to us. I’ll get us to the stairs.”  

Sticking close to Makoto, Shun and Takeru followed him, watching as he scanned the area with what they presumed were night vision goggles. They made it down the stairs without incident and were brought into a lit hallway, looking more like an employee area and residential wing. Soft lamps showed blue and white tile and a hall that led way to lounges and wide open spaces. A soft buzz filled the background, but all else was quiet aside from that. The hall was, in a word, deserted.

“You can let go.” Makoto shrugged them off, lifting his goggles to his forehead. “We should be safer down here, until they start investigating. It gives us a chance to get out—”

A clatter came from down the hall, and in an instant, Takeru and Shun swept behind Makoto, his gun out and ready again. But before he could shout a threat, the perpetrator showed themselves, hands in the air. They were wearing a white lab coat, blending with a similarly-colored ponytail and dark gaze as he stared Makoto down.

“Put that down. You’re a Security Officer, act professional. Level Three Personnel, Researcher Class, former Field Agent. Ryuu Nishizuka, identification number 072462.”

At the sequence, Makoto lowered his weapon, ushering out the two from behind him. “He’s safe. Ryuu, where is everyone else?”

Ryuu didn’t answer his question immediately, instead staring at Shun and Takeru. Takeru realized that he most likely didn’t recognize them, and thought to introduce himself.

“If you’re wondering, we’re okay too. I’m Takeru—”

“I don’t need to know who you are. Security, I will report that everyone left the premises. Myself and one other scientist were staying behind before going to our resting chambers, as we are on the night shift. When a report came over their walkie-talkie, they left. I have not seen them since.”

“All right. There was an alert on the upper floors, and we are attempting to evacuate. Would you please join us, Ryuu?”

“Nothing would make me happier.” He gave a tight-lipped smile as he looked to the group. “I assume they’re coming with? Did you ask them all the proper evaluation questions?”

“I’m afraid I didn’t get the chance, but I am quite sure they’re safe.”

Ryuu’s eyes narrowed at that, but he said nothing of what he was thinking. “Fine. Let’s go.”

Takeru quietly noted that Ryuu had taken charge of their group, wondering what the scientist held over the security guard. Surely, the guards could protect the scientists who studied them? Didn’t that give them a power over the scientists who might not make it if it were not for them?

Takeru decided that question was too much for that moment and pushed it aside, watching as Makoto and Ryuu were discussing their options. They left the residential space, and it led into a less well-lit area, with spacious ceilings and metal all about. Garage-sized rooms were visible through windows. “TESTING SPACE 015” and such were listed above each door, and Takeru wondered what they could need such big rooms for, if what they housed could just as easily fit in small spaces like those he had seen upstairs.

_Unless some things are huge._

“What do you think they house in there?” Shun’s voice piped up from next to him. “I’ve heard rumors that the government has some things that are even too large to be housed in SCP facilities, so they have to make special places for them, or they need lots of space to test them in. This, for example—”

“What does SCP stand for?” Sparing himself the rant, Takeru looked between the three men with him, wanting to know more. Ryuu sent an even stare back his way, but answered his question.

“It stands for Secure, Contain, Protect. Our three-fold mission when it comes to those we classify as anomalies. We capture and secure those deemed strange in the outside world, contain them in our world class locations around the globe, and protect civilians from interaction with said anomalies.”

“Some are too dangerous to contain, though. So they just blow them up.” Shun’s crass language and lenient dropping of information caused Ryuu to round on him, but a hand to his shoulder from Makoto stopped him cold.

“Let it go, Ryuu. You know he’s not wrong.”

“Waste of an opportunity to understand them, as Doctor Haruka would say.” His voice was thin, and Takeru almost missed what he said, but didn’t get a chance to ask who the person he mentioned was. They were off again, but the air only seemed tense as they kept trailing through endless hallways and stairwells. Sometimes they went up, other times down. Makoto kept checking numbers on the wall as they went, seemingly knowing where he was going. At one point, they went through a door and came face-to-face with something that they could not adequately describe – a creature made of pink yarn, with several eyes whizzing about. It locked all of them on the group, saying  _“Eric”_  in a deep tone before Makoto slammed it shut, urging them in another direction and ordering Shun and Takeru to hang back while he and Ryuu checked if the premises was safe. But despite their distance, Shun and Takeru’s attentions were caught as Ryuu cried out from the doorway.

“The facility is  _what_!” Ryuu’s had an offended look on his face as Makoto winced. “Say that again!”

“I… I said the entire facility’s on lockdown, sir.”

“The  _entire_  facility.”

“All two hundred seven floors, sir. The worker who contacted me had the good grace to let me know that information before being killed.”

Ryuu opened his mouth to speak, but thought better of his word choice and closed it, taking a moment to gather himself. Makoto stole the chance to check if the coast was clear once more. Gesturing towards Takeru and Shun, they came up behind him, trying to ignore the question on both their tongues.

If the entire facility was on lockdown, then what was out there? What were they going to do?

_Were they going to make it out alive?_

* * *

“As a security guard, you are supposed to inform me of any issues!”

“I’m sorry for assuming a Level Three scientist would understand what was going on.”

Moments after entering another break room as a safe space, accusations began to fly between Makoto and Ryuu. Neither of them wanted to admit that the other was at fault, claiming that they were in the right for withholding information. While they argued, Takeru had settled in the corner, arms about his legs as he tried to calm down. The stress of current events had been too much already, and he had no idea where his father was in all this mess. He knew that it would only get worse, and tried to clear his mind as Shun settled down on the floor next to him, giving a grin.

“Hey, I know what could cheer you up. You want to know what I came down here for?”

“Sure,” Takeru croaked, happy for the conversation. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to know what sort of horror Shun had come down for as a fantasy novelist, but it didn’t hurt to ask.

“I came down for this thing called SCP-1230. Picture a small book, like a personal journal. It’s green and hardcover, nothing special. But get this: when you read the first line, then go to sleep, you’ll be transported into a dream realm. You’ll remember every single detail of the dream and be taken to a fantasy that you would enjoy, the hero of your own story as you travel across continents, go on adventures, and, according to some reports, live an entire life in that dreamscape.”

“That sounds horrifying,” Takeru said honestly. “What if you die?”

“You wake up.” Shun’s voice was matter-of-fact. “Duh. The book’s nice, apparently. It’s not gonna kill you off just because you decided you couldn’t figure out how to beat the dragon fast enough. And you can’t sleep forever in the dream, but there was report of a man—“

“How do you know so much?” Ryuu’s cold words cut into the conversation, and Takeru glanced up to see him standing nearby, before looking for Makoto. The guard stood by the door, checking all weapons on his person and making sure they were in working order.

“About SCP-1230? I did my research, buddy. You might want to check for rats in your data if they’re telling me things so easily. Like how it’s in the Site 12 library behind the desk in the back.”

Ryuu sniffed, looking away. “That’s not even the most entertaining story we have here. At least tell him about SCP-226, the puzzle that displays your worst fear, changing for each person who opens it. Or about the strange doll that changes gender and texture and will respawn upon mutilation.”

“Those are lame,” Shun said smoothly, and Ryuu glowered further at that.

“Did my father know about all of these things? All those creatures and books and dolls?”

“Your father funded this facility as one of the main benefactors. He was responsible for the breakthroughs we were making in our research by funding Doctor Haruka as well.”

 _This is the second time his name has come up._  “Who is he?”

Ryuu breathed out through his nose, expression clearly saying ‘ _You’re a benefactor’s son, shouldn’t you know?’_ “Doctor Haruka, Researcher Level 4, was a man who usually directed other projects, but he had been itching to do one of his own again for a long time now.” Casting a glance back at Makoto, Ryuu confirmed that he was still going over all he had, and went back to his story. “He was brilliant when it came to working with the SCP anomalies. He had a sense of unnatural empathy around humans; people trusting him with personal issues and life matters, coming to him in times of trouble. But that was not just limited to humans.

“SCP could feel it, too. He was kept on multiple projects because he could talk with them in ways that we never could before. His abilities led to much suspicion on if he was an anomaly himself, but testing proved time and time again that he was perfectly ‘normal’. His last projects were having the SCP talk with each other. He wanted them to communicate and see how they impacted one another, what they did when they were exposed to others like them. He often spoke with them one-on-one before those times, and even had trust in some of those with our safer classes.”

“He sounds mad,” Shun said, his bluntness shining through.

“I can’t expect you to understand his genius,” Ryuu said hotly. Takeru wondered if he had admired Doctor Haruka and was defending on his behalf. “He was making breakthroughs with them. They were talking and more social with the scientists. We learned things we could have never learned without his thinking.”

“Whatever. I just want the book.” Shun stood up and stretched, walking over to Makoto. Ryuu watched him as Takeru eased himself up slowly.

“He’s rather offensive, isn’t he?” Ryuu noted Shun’s conversation with Makoto with a raised eyebrow, and Takeru shrugged. “I just think he could afford to keep his mouth shut sometimes. He’s not like you or Makoto. He only knows about one thing in here. If anything, he’s more in the same boat as me. I don’t know a thing.”

“Your father told you nothing, then?” The question made Takeru pause. Ryuu was right – his father hadn’t told him a thing about the facility. He only knew that his mother divorced his father over work, and that when he visited, she forbade him from talking about it. Was it because she knew about all these things too?  _Did Dad even tell her I’m here?_

“You two ready?” Makoto’s words pulled Takeru out of his thoughts, and he nodded, going to the doorway with Ryuu and waiting as Makoto checked the surrounding area. “Okay, coast clear. Let’s move.”

They started on their path, Makoto leading the party and Ryuu heading up the back. They moved in total silence, nobody daring to speak in case it caused them to miss a sound that could spell their ends. However, as time passed and nothing reached them, Takeru began to breathe easy and decided to puncture the terse air with a question.

“…So.”

When he spoke, everyone around him jumped, nearly stunning them out of their wits. Instantly, he regretted saying a word. “S-Sorry. It’s just so nerve-wracking when you’re all quiet like this.”

“It’s utterly horrifying when you talk without warning,” Ryuu commented, his snide remark coming out in a hiss.

“W-What are we getting out by?”

“A fire escape,” Makoto said. “It’s the only way out here that I know of. I think it will be best for all of us to get out that way.”

“There aren’t any better ones? Any that are closer? And, we’re still stopping for the book, right? I only risked life, limb, and money in this facility and they didn’t even let me see the beautiful thing!” Shun’s tone was demanding, but he bit back the remainder of his rant, sparing everyone else in his company.

“SCP-1230 is not a toy,” Ryuu interrupted. “Your obsessive desire for its powers is inclining me towards the notion of not allowing any sort of access.”

“Your  _higher-ups_  granted me that access, thank you very much.” Shun turned his eyes on Ryuu, but Makoto jumped into the conversation before it could go too far.

“Okay, we’ll stop by the Site 12 library just so you can glance at this stupid book. It’s on the way. And to answer your first question, there are none. This facility is incredibly grounded and well-kept. The fact we installed fire escapes at all were when we started doing experiments that might call for such.”

“Accurate information,” Ryuu said, nodding. “I recall those debates very well.”

“They would go on and on about the dangers of it, but if you ask me now, I think they’re incredibly helpful… I wish I could brief you on every SCP in here, too. You two as outsiders don’t know a thing about what resides in these walls.”

“I don’t wish it. That would take literal weeks. Imagine explaining the containment procedures.”

“Not needed, Ryuu,” Makoto said back, starting to lead the way to the library again. “The Site 12 library’s going to be a little further yet. I’ll let you know when we get there, okay?”

Takeru barely heard him as he fidgeted with the edge of his shirt. His brain could barely keep up with the day and what he had seen. After all he had seen and known of today, thinking about where a  _library_  was located was the last thing on his mind.

* * *

When they reached the space, Makoto’s security card did not provide clearance, and it took some convincing to make Ryuu use his card and assist them. Shun ushered Takeru in the library while Ryuu and Makoto said they would stay outside, watching in case of any danger.

“Like I said, this book’s a huge deal. It will most likely cause me to create some best-selling novels. I’m excited to get my hands on it.” Rubbing his palms together, he found the locker embedded within the bookshelf, fingers reaching to punch the buttons of a code. Takeru leaned idly against the desk, happy for a moment of respite—

“Dammit!” Shun slammed a palm against the safe as the code failed. “Ryuu! Gimme the actual code!”

“That’s the last one I’m aware of!” he bit back. “They must’ve changed it, knowing you were coming. If you can’t get it open…” He trailed off as he glanced down the hallway, his gaze caught by something else.

“Ryuu? Ryuu!” Shun’s voice rang in his ears, but he hardly heard it, ignoring him when he said he would just break into the safe himself. Makoto glanced from the library door to Ryuu, trying to figure out what was wrong.

Then he saw them.

* * *

Shun had managed to dig through his bag and find his tools, flicking through his options and choosing the best for the job. With a quick few motions, he managed to open the safe, alarming Takeru with the lack of security they kept on the book.

“Easy stuff. They clearly didn’t think this book was too dangerous. Classified safe for a reason, then, huh?” Shun grinned as he reached inside, pulling the small, green book out. Takeru smelled leather as Shun flipped to the first page, reading the short phrase there:

_A hero is born._

Takeru read the phrase with a slight feeling of crushing guilt – he didn’t feel like a hero at this moment. He felt like prey, being chased by things capable of killing him three times over.

However, right as Shun was starting to close the safe again, Makoto slammed the door open, the sound racketing off the walls.

“Get out! There’s something coming this way!”

* * *

Ryuu ignored all else around him as he recognized the person moving towards them. At the end of the hall, there was a man with a long white coat and pink hair, staring up at the two by the library door. Down the front of his shirt were splotches of red blood, and he was using the wall to support himself, struggling to stay standing.

“Haruka!” Ryuu screeched. “What injured you?”

When he spoke, Haruka’s eyes widened, and his mouth moved to speak, but only coughed up more blood, and Ryuu ran towards him, arms extending, attempting to hold him close. When he scooped him into an embrace, there was a wave of relief as he felt a body – but then the sensation of fingers dragging across his gut. Or was it a tool? He didn’t have time to react as the metal pierced flesh, and swept up in a single, clean cut.

Makoto finally registered the scene as he saw the unsettlingly-familiar trickle of red, and pounded on the door to the library, screaming at the two inside.

“Get out! There’s something coming this way!” He looked over once more and felt the need to vomit, before feeling Shun and Takeru collapse into him as they escaped the room. Takeru glanced at the sight of Ryuu being maimed without hesitation, and behind him, a billowing black figure with a stark-white mask. It turned it’s head slowly to look in their direction, and the three turned and ran from the scene that was permanently seared into their memories.

* * *

A million thoughts raced through Takeru’s head as he worked to keep up with the tall security guard before him. He didn’t focus on his running, just trusting that he would get them somewhere safe, far away from yet another dangerous creature. The images of seeing a long white mask upon black robes hovered at the back of his mind, and the figure of the presumed Doctor Haruka staring at them as he completed his task, efficiently but rapidly, eyeing them before they began to escape—

Takeru didn’t even want to think about the way he had seen Ryuu die as Makoto slammed against a door, practically prying it off its hinges as he ushered the two inside, swinging it shut behind them.

While Shun collapsed to the ground, Takeru rested his hands on his knees, breathing heavily. Slowly, he raised his head to look at the room, finding this one slightly cheerier than the last ones he had been in. The lighting was more pleasant, and there was a stack of paintings, books, and papers against one wall. When he turned to face the back of the room, he noticed a series of bright papers tacked to the wall, all surrounding a single white sheet with black strokes. Makoto was standing before it, talking.

“Hey there, how are you doing?” He paused a moment, before laughing. “It has been a while.”

“Who are you talking to?” Takeru eased himself up and walked over alongside Makoto, who glanced over his shoulder and smiled.

“Who? Well, her! See for yourself.” He allowed Takeru to see the figure, and Takeru stared a moment at the drawing. She was short in stature, with long hair and bangs that covered her eyes. A short dress was on her figure, and Takeru noted the name below:  _Kassandra._

“I usually call her Kassy for short. This is Takeru. Kassy, is everything going well lately?”

She moved her hands about in an interesting fashion, and Takeru glanced up at Makoto, hoping he would translate.

“Ah, hang on. Kassy, could you write it out for today? Takeru doesn’t know sign language…”

She gave an indignant motion, but obliged nonetheless, glancing around at the paintings and posters that surrounded her. As Takeru looked, he noticed that they were all of different café and restaurant spaces, each with their own unique style or charm. Moving towards one, she entered a well-lit, colored space with a blackboard for a menu. Upon shifting into that environment, her entire size and body changed. She was taller and her drawing, bigger. Her hair was a rich chocolate brown that complimented her soft pink dress. With practiced motions, she erased the looping script and picked up the chalk.

_“I like the new cafés. What happened to the facility?”_

“You know about that?” Makoto seemed surprised, but she quickly wrote out her answer.

_“They were here when lights went out. They got a message and left.”_

“So you know that something’s wrong.”

 _“Yes.”_  This, she responded to in sign, but Takeru could gleam it’s meaning easily enough. He was mystified by the way these two spoke, watching the living drawing with a strange fascination. He could contain his curiosity no longer, bursting with questions.

“Who is she?” More like, what’s her story? After what Shun and… Ryuu… said earlier, I’m inclined to think everyone in here has a story…”

Makoto blew out a sigh, and he looked to Kassy. “Do you want me to answer?” At her nod, he made a face, but responded to Takeru nonetheless. “She’s the experimental result between two other SCP creatures. I think she was one of the first of Doctor Haruka’s ideas, in an attempt to see how they could began reacting with each other. She was then my first assignment as a “safe” class. She’s aware of who is she now, after an error on our scientist’s part. We got close before we were separated, and I was picked because I was quick to learn sign language to talk with her and translate for scientists. However, after the incident, I was moved away and began to be used for my quick adaptability other places… so it’s been a while since I got to visit.”

She gave a bright smile as the two glanced towards her again, but the peaceful moment was interrupted by Shun’s voice. “Hey, you two, I glanced out. The coast seems clear.”

“Did you check with a flashlight?” Makoto sneered back, stepping across the room to the door. Left alone with Kassy, Takeru turned to her again, eyes shining.

“This is all amazing. Do you like it here?”

She nodded once, before rushing towards another painting. In this one, it was a café filled with customers, the entire set-up bright. When she stepped in, all of the customers came to life, and Takeru noted that it was connected to a kitchen and a pantry of eternal supplies.

“What does this space do for you? All these pictures and places…”

She hurried into another painting and wrote out her answer on a sheet of paper in large letters, holding it up.

_“Running restaurants and cafés keep me distracted. I don’t like to think about myself too much. But I know I enjoy this.”_

Takeru nodded. “Makes sense. What about—“

“Takeru.” Makoto’s voice was firm. “Come on. We can get to the fire exit if we leave now.”

Suddenly, he was filled with an intense desire to not leave Kassy’s presence. He felt a strange attachment to her, somehow – and knew that she would be left alone down her if he left. Quietly, his hands reached out to the bustling café, but a pair of strong arms grabbed around his waist and tugged him back, prying him out of his stunned state.

“You always had that effect on newbies, Kassy,” Makoto said with a tease in his voice. She only smiled and shrugged, before giving a sad wave. Takeru swore he caught a tear on her cheek, but she had turned away by then, her back to the trio.

“See you, Kassy.” Makoto’s voice cracked as well, and he led Takeru out of the room, glancing around once again with his flashlight as Shun pulled the door shut behind them. “All right, let’s head out.”

The three tread slowly, partially to not alert any potential threats, and partially because Makoto and Takeru were both dragging their feet, clearly guilty about leaving her behind. But after a few minutes, they began to recover, and started to ascend stairwells and take the proper turns. Then, they came onto a place that appeared to be a dead end at first glance, but led into a space in the shape of a square, and reached three stories up.   

“We’re going to make it out.” Makoto let out a breathless laugh as he recognized the fire escape. “Come on!”

The two other boys wasted no time obeying. Seconds later, they were climbing, Takeru and Shun going a few steps ahead while Makoto stuck back a few steps, casting glances over his shoulder. Even if they felt the exhaustion coursing through their veins, they knew they still had a little further to go, and pushed through to reach the door. Makoto stayed back a few steps, listening for anything in the shadows or walls. But when he opened his mouth to say it was clear, they all heard a vicious scraping sound.

Their faces paled and glanced downward. All of them almost screamed.

A grotesque figure looked up at them, lips back in a permanent sneer. With a towering height and a body that looked to be made of concrete, nobody wanted to stare for very long – but Makoto’s immediate cry made them stop, his hand reaching out and clawing the empty air.

“Keep looking at it! Don’t move! Don’t blink! Warn each other when you’re going to blink!”

“Why!” Takeru couldn’t keep his question bitten down, and the strain was clear in his voice. Shun swore and turned away, back to the door. “It’s just you and me!”

“Just don’t! Blink! I can’t explain!” He heard Makoto’s labored breathing. “Can you watch it for a second more?”

“Yes!” Takeru kept his gaze as long as he was able, and Makoto took the chance to see where he stood in comparison to Shun and Takeru. His face paled as he realized that despite the short distance…

“173 moves too fast. I…” He bowed his head to the creature once more. “You can blink now, Takeru.”

Relieved for the chance, Takeru took it, and then heard the door click behind him, briefly frightening him. He blinked – and then saw why they had to keep their eyes on it.

_The creature was further up the steps and staring up at them._

“Makoto, if I—“

“Just go! Get out! Both of you! Takeru, I’m blinking one last time, then I want you to  _run!”_

“But—“

“Just stare at it! I’m blinking now!” A beat passed, and Makoto cried out, “Go!”

Takeru wanted to respond, but Shun grabbed his arm and pulled him through the door. The boy screamed after him, and the slam of metal on metal echoed throughout the stairwell. Makoto watched the creature a moment longer, a sad smile crossing his features.

“Go.”

 And with that, he closed his eyes for only a moment.

The sound of a vicious crack was the last sound in the room.

* * *

Takeru collapsed onto the ground, attempting to catch his breath. Gulps of air – it tasted almost fresher, somehow, as if what he had been breathing inside the facility was artificial – and felt the hard ground beneath his fingertips.

Ahead of him, Shun checking his bag and pulling the small green book out. He kept staring at it in wonder, practically salivating at the sight of SCP-1230 in his hands. “I can’t believe I’ve actually got it. Nobody can tell me what to do with it, now. It’s mine!”

“Ha… hang on.” Takeru gave him a steady glare, the edge to his voice catching Shun’s attention and dragging him back into reality. “Do you not care about what just happened in there? Did you not see what the hell was going on in there!”

“I did.” Shun shrugged. “But I’m alive, so it doesn’t matter.”

“There are people who just died in there. Makoto even sacrificed his life for us! And you’re just going to be excited over that stupid book in your hands!”

“This book will launch my official career. I just wanted access to this for a night and I got so much more. It’s in my possession and I’m not giving it up until the end.”

“But of Ryuu! Of my  _father!”_

“If you’re that pissed, then go off somewhere else! We can get out of here together. All those creatures and horrors are below us, now. They’re not getting out. They’ll all just mindlessly wander and kill each other until few remain. I’d pay money to see that.” With a slight laugh, he began to walk across the wide expanse, heading in a direction with a hope to find people or civilization. Takeru stared after him, appalled at his attitude. Turning around, he looked at the sealed fire escape behind him, the metal door shining in the sunlight. His ears strained to hear anything around him. A scrape, a yell, or even a voice – but nothing came. There was only the sound of a natural world around him.

_What will they do now? Will they fight each other until few are left? And then… what of those few?_

_What will happen after that?_


End file.
